How It Works: A greens mower utilizes cutting-edge tech to make the grass stimp lively

As a kid, you count on Mom and Dad to wake before dawn and get everything ready for the day ahead. As a golfer, you count on a greenskeeper — and he or she may very well be counting on the new Toro Greensmaster® 1021 to get the putting surfaces, collars and tees spiffy enough for Picture Day.

After your 15-footer for eagle tracks perfectly into the hole, you might even be inclined to offer up a filial hug to the man or woman behind the mower. A tip of the cap will do, promise.

Here is everything you need to know about all the tech in the Toro Greensmaster® 1021.

DETACHABLE CUTTING UNIT WITH EDGESERIES™ REEL

Making the cut on Tour is black and white; making the cut on the course, less so. You might need a 14-blade reel to manicure the green, then an 8-blade reel for tee boxes. This detachable traction and cutting unit makes switching a snap.

FRONT ROLLER

The front roller’s job is to set the height of the cut — adjusting the front roller adjusts the height at which the reel and knife address the turf. (Hello, turf!)

HONDA GX120 ENGINE

The shaft may be the engine of a golf club, but the engine of a mower is … well, an engine. This one isn’t a Jaguar XK straight six, but with 3.5 HP at 3,600 RPM it’s plenty peppy for cutting and accessorizing — and as reliable as a Honda.

BACK ROLLER

The back roller is a large drum that serves as the machine’s traction drive, propelling it off the trailer to its on-course destination, where it then defines the mowing speed.

GEAR DRIVE TRANSMISSION

Here’s a tranny that never needs oil — it’s a closed system that has no grease points and is lubricated for life. So while the greens might be slick after cutting, they’ll never be greasy.

REEL ENGAGEMENT LEVER

This lever’s easy-to-reach location makes it simple for the operator to engage the reel and switch from mowing mode to transport mode.

RUBBER MOUNTED TELESCOPING HANDLE

Cutting-edge clubs are all about custom-fitting, and so are cutting-edge cutters. Whether the operator is a tubby 5-foot-4 or a sticklike 6-foot-4, the adjustable, five-position telescoping handle can get the operator into perfect mowing posture. This prevents any irregularities in the height of cut—likewise, the rubber mounts on the handle, which provide forward and back, keeping hand movement from influencing the traction unit and cutting height.

DUAL-FUNCTION BAIL

Merging ease of use with functionality, the DFB is a BFD. Unlike fixed-speed mowers, the machine can be slowed to a comfortable speed in a turn as the next cutting pass is lined up, thanks to the bail’s ability to engage and disengage both the reel and the traction. Essentially, you’re now swinging the club instead of the club swinging you.

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